AS 90990 annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 1.1 MB]

TKI Media Studies assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of selected elements of media text(s).

This involves:

• using relevant media language
• describing the use and effects of selected elements in the media text(s)
• giving reasoned explanations of how or why the selected elements combine to create effects.

One selected element is lighting/colour. The student demonstrates sufficient comprehensive understanding of the selected element, by using relevant media language to describe in detail several examples of how the element of lighting/ colour is used in a scene from the media text ’The Perks of Being a Wallflower‘ (1).

The student describes the effect of the use of lighting/colour in the scene and, how it contributes to the mood of the scene and the character development, in order to cue the audience response (2).

The student gives several reasoned explanations for the effect of the colour in creating a romantic mood, the effect this has on the audience (3), and the effect of the lighting to develop characterisation (4).

The student describes in detail how lighting and dialogue combine to develop character and the effect that this has on the audience’s opinion of the character (4). 

For a more secure Excellence, the student could:

• describe in more specific detail how the use of elements combine to build a logical argument (e.g. the lighting in the cross cut scenes) 
• give further reasoned explanations of how/why elements combine to create particular effects (e.g. shot choice and lighting). 

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth understanding of selected elements of media text(s).

This involves:

• using relevant media language
• describing the use and effects of selected elements in the media text(s)
• giving reasoned explanations for the effect(s) of the selected elements.

One selected element is the use of dialogue. The student demonstrates in-depth understanding of this element in a scene from the media text ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’, by using relevant media language to describe in detail how dialogue is used in the scene (1).

The student describes the effect of the dialogue in the scene and how it is used to communicate the relationship between the two characters to the audience (2).

The student gives reasoned explanations for the effect of the dialogue in conveying character development (3), and supports this argument by explaining what this tells the audience about Charlie’s character (4).

The student describes how other elements are used together with dialogue to create meaning (5).

To reach Excellence, the student could:

• describe in more detail how the use of the combined elements conveys the relationship (e.g. close ups and the dialogue)
• give further reasoned explanations of how/ why elements combine to create the effect of closeness in the relationship (e.g. the setting of the conversation and dialogue)
• develop the explanation of how/why crosscutting combined with dialogue helps to create effects by giving us a ‘fuller picture of Charlie’s mind’.

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth understanding of selected elements of media text(s).

This involves:

• using relevant media language
• describing the use and effects of selected elements in the media text(s)
• giving reasoned explanations for the effect(s) of the selected elements.

One selected element is the use of mid-shots. The student demonstrates in-depth understanding of this element in a scene from the media text ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ by using relevant media language to give a general description of mid shots (1).

The student describes in detail how the mid shot is used in the scene (2). He describes the effect of the mid shot in the scene and how it contributes to the confrontational mood of the scene and develops characterisation (3).

The student gives some reasoned explanation of the purpose of the scene and the effect that this has on the audience (4) (5).

For a more secure Merit, the student could:

• describe how the specific use of this element  creates the effects described, e.g. how the use of mid shots makes the scene ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘terrifying’ (3)
• give further reasoned explanations, supported by specific evidence, of how the use of mid shots creates the confrontational effect (4).

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of selected elements of media text(s).

This involves:

• mostly using relevant media language
• describing how selected elements are used in the media text(s)
• describing the effect(s) of the selected elements.

One selected element is the use of lighting. The student demonstrates some understanding of this element in a scene from  the media text ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ by mostly using relevant media language to give a general description of the lighting (1).

The student describes how lighting is used in a specific example in the scene (2). She describes the effect of the lighting in the scene and how it contributes to the mood of the scene, characterisation and narrative development (3).

The student attempts to explain the effect of the lighting in the scene (4).

To reach Merit, the student could:

• use more relevant, technical media language to describe the lighting beyond terms such as ‘shade’ and ‘glow’ (2) (3) (4)
• provide more examples of the use of lighting in the scene to show in-depth understanding
• provide more reasoned explanation for the effect of the element beyond the explanation of how lighting conveys the way Charlie’s sister is feeling (3) (4). 

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of selected elements of media text(s).

This involves:

• mostly using relevant media language
• describing how selected elements are used in the media text(s)
• describing the effect(s) of the selected elements.

One selected element is the editing of jump cuts. The student demonstrates some understanding of jump cuts in a scene from the media text ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ by providing a general description of a jump cut (1). Some examples of editing elements used in the scene are briefly described (3).

The student describes the effect of the editing element in general terms (2). Some general description of the effect of the editing element in conveying meaning in this scene is provided (5).

To reach Achieved, the student could:

• use media language which is more relevant to the selected element of jump cuts, rather than the descriptions and examples of crosscutting and flashback from the scene (1) (3)
• describe the example of the jump cut in the scene more accurately, and in more specific detail
• describe the effects of the use of the jump cut in this scene in more specific detail, by specifying how the use of jump cutting aids ‘in filling in the holes’, (2) what these ‘holes’ are, and how the use of the jump cut helps us ‘understand why it was such a big deal’ (4) (5).